Man charged with starting grass fire near Langlois

Monday

Jan 20, 2014 at 12:01 AMJan 20, 2014 at 2:20 AM

A 20-year old Curry County man was arrested Friday afternoon for allegedly setting fire to dry grass along the ocean shore in the Langlois area that burned at least 8 acres, Oregon State Police reported.

A 20-year old Curry County man was arrested Friday afternoon for allegedly setting fire to dry grass along the ocean shore in the Langlois area that burned at least 8 acres, Oregon State Police reported.

Andrew Jose Berntsen was lodged in the Curry County Jail for reckless burning and disorderly conduct, OSP said.

At approximately 3:51 p.m. Friday, an OSP trooper and local firefighters responded to a fire along the beach reportedly set by a male suspect who fled the scene to his nearby residence.

Witnesses followed the suspect, identified as Berntsen, and notified police.

OSP said in a news release that Berntsen allegedly set the grass on fire with a lighter and ran away after he couldn't put the fire out.